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Artist Highlight
With two albums and a trilogy of extended plays, Tkay Maidza already has a deep catalog of music ranging from electronic R&B, rap, synth-pop, rock and more. The Zimbabwe-born Australian tour de force can let her music prove why she is an artist to watch, but seeing her live cemented her potential as a stellar performer.
Previously released tracks like the charming “Eden,” featuring a clever sample, or the bubbly “Big Things” serve as testaments to her expansive artistry. Both tracks are from her “Last Year Was Weird” collections, spanning from 2018 to 2021 and encapsulating her unique genre-meshing of sounds.
“All of Tkay Maidza’s songs have a similar style, but they carry a different energy,” senior Kenny Vargas said. “Her music has pop and rap, but it also has a little bit of R&B.”
Tkay Maidza is an auditorily mesmerizing artist as much as she is a visual artist — her album covers are a testament to that. The vibrant automated designs speak to the artist’s edge.
“Sweet Justice” Show
On March 8, the artist got a chance to bring that edge to the mighty stage in Hollywood, California at the El Rey Theatre, introducing her music to new fans and tapping back into the hearts who have been listening to her when she was just emerging.
The lights flashed like crazy, but Tkay Maidza knocked the fans out of the dizziness with “Love and Other Drugs,” which was a euphoric experience — opening with this song was a high within itself, causing the audience to sway in unison.
Maidza transitioned into her house-hit “24k,” where she flexed her rap chops over a dance-inducing, spacey production of electronic hype. Maidza followed this performance with her electronic, soft-punk song “Out of Luck.”
Maidza also surprised her audience with an appearance from Duckwrth, as they performed “Gone to the West.” The two artists relished in the audience’s applause after they performed their pop-bubbly duet featuring a clever sample from the 1995 hit “I Wish.”
“From song to song, there was a clear and easy transition because she would talk a little bit about the song and how it connects to herself,” Vargas said.
Maidza performed some of her darker songs of determination and don’t-touch-me personality, including “Grasshopper.” It’s dark and full of revenge — the perfect formula for a rock song.
“Never put a limit, I’ma get what I desire / Life blows, I won’t let it be the enemy,” Maidza sang.
Maidza wickedly rapped “Grasshopper” as she investigated her drive as an artist hungry for more than just her flowers — to have herself recognized as a talented lyricist capable of all sounds.
Tkay neglected to perform the house-influenced, funkadelic feel of “What Ya Know,” even though the bass and dreamy vocals could have been an alluring option for the show.
Maidza continued to show off her edge and rock mentality in tracks such as the rocky “Shook,” the raunchy “Silent Assassin” or the hype “Awake,” a rowdy song with an impressive bridge — a style reminiscent of Rico Nasty or pre-fame Doja Cat.
“I appreciated how she carried herself throughout the performance,” Vargas said. “It felt like performing was a fluid thing for her.”
Maidza ended her set with a cover of the Pixies‘ “Where Is My Mind?” She added her slowed, quirky flair to the rebellious rock rhythm, which was an especially tasteful choice to end her show.
“I was pleasantly surprised to see the amount of gay couples in the audience and who her music speaks and connects to,” Vargas said. “There’s something about her sound and what she is evoking through her music that speaks to gay people.”
Whether that connection be made through the songs of rebellion, rage, love or lust, Maidza crafted her music from a personal place that was apparent with every movement on stage, even the moments when she decided to throw it back.
And while the L.A. crowd eventually lost their energy, Tkay Maidza left it all on stage — her confidence, her energy and most importantly, her clear passion for her craft. If Maidza is underground, she is definitely proving why she deserves to carve her own path into the spotlight.
“Maidza had that energy, rap lyricism and the comfortability to just spit on this mic — which was really incredible,” Vargas said.
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Contact Ivan Vicente Manriquez via email: ivan.manriquez@pepperdine.edu
